Nightmares
by Heart of the Cobalt Storm
Summary: All the members of Camp Phoenix were cast into sleep for the span of a week from the malicious intent of the Greek goddess Nyx. They were forced to experience their most dreaded nightmares, or their impossible but desired dreams only to have them ripped out of their grasp. Here you can get a taste of what some of them had to witness.
1. Willow Paige

**So, we did this thing on the forum Camp Phoenix where in the role play, the characters experienced their worst nightmares or unreachable dreams. We skipped past that part and were able to write stories about it if we so chose to. I decided to start writing. I only have this one done so far though. We'll see if I decide to write more of them or not. I know it's kind of been a while since this started already but oh well.**

* * *

 **Willow Paige:**

The color bled out of the word, leaving a bleak, drab place behind. The happiness drifted with it until there were only wisps of the former joy left. When most people think of fear they think of large creatures, or water, or even their family dying. But Willow, she thinks of of plain grey. Of no one experiencing the wonders of happy bright days splashed with dazzling bright colors. Sure, the other things are scary too. But without that what's the fun in life?

Now don't get me wrong, its really hard to get her feeling down. As an enthusiastic eleven year old she was always there to cheer people up. Sometimes though, the sorrow will smother you, and even the brightest of spirits might get their glow dampened.

* * *

Willow walked down the abandoned, dreary streets. No cars even passed her as she went. Not a creature made a sound. She had awoken that morning to the change. No color, not even in her usually bright shining amber eyes. No one even smiling, but she was trying to be positive about the situation. Surely it was only temporary.

She was trying to find where her parents had gone. They hadn't been home, and she was beginning to worry. She needed their support now more than ever. "Dad! Mom!" she shouted, hoping they would hear her. She was well aware that she wasn't her 'real' mom, but she still called her that. Iris hadn't been there for her growing up like her step-mom had been.

Willow spent hours outside searching for them, growing more anxious as she went. What had happened to them? Her stomach grumbled loudly, and she finally had to turn back. Maybe they had come back home while she'd been gone. She hurried home, her heart lifting hopefully. She made it home, flung open the door, and dashed into the house, a wide smile on her face...

They weren't there.

Her hopes fell, all the way down to to the underworld. They really had left her.

She slowly dragged herself into the kitchen to eat. She took out some bread, cheese, mustard, and turkey lunch meat to make a sandwich. She took it into the living room, plopping down on the couch and taking a bite. She started thinking over the situation, and thought she should try and call her friends. Jumping off the couch, her sandwich finished, she went and grabbed the house phone, dialing a number for her friend Molly. She put the phone to her ear, listening to it ring and waiting for her to pick up. When no one answered, she frowned. Perhaps they were busy. Not knowing anyone else's number without her step-mom to tell her, she retreated to get ready for bed.

She took a shower, got changed into pajamas, and made sure to brush her teeth before crawling into her bed, thinking that her parents would be proud of her for taking care of herself. _They aren't here,_ she reminded herself, snuggling under the covers for comfort, closing her eyes. It took her a long while to sleep, haunted by the idea of a world like this. Eventually though, exhaustion weighed down too heavily on her and she drifted asleep.

* * *

The next day was no improvement. More of the same. After eating some cereal, she tried calling Molly again, to no avail. Her not answering was unusual on its own, and when combined with the other strange things happening, she began feeling more apprehensive. She began to accept the idea that this was now her reality.

Filled with despair, Willow searched her house once more for her parents, even then knowing it was useless. They were gone forever.

Then she left their house, going to the neighbors to see if anyone there could help her, but there was no answer. Nor at the next house door. Or the next. Or the next.

In one last futile attempt to draw up something that made her happy, she attempted to use her powers to make rainbows. But there was merely a feeble string of gray, before even that disappeared. There was no more color left in the world.

* * *

As the days slowly passed by, every last bit of reserve was sucked out of her. She was sure things would never get better. That optimistic, cheerful girl had been reduced to a hopeless, miserable one. She lived out her days in a state of seemingly never ending sadness.

Until one day, the nightmare ended, and she was able to experience the beauties of the world once more.

* * *

 **Yes, I know it's pretty short, but I haven't written a story in a long time so that's my excuse. Besides, I didn't know what else I could put. And I feel like it started out pretty good and then it kinda went meh. My writing isn't very good. XP**

 **I felt kinda bad torturing my little Willow too. She's my sweetie.**

 **Anyways, that's all for now.**


	2. Adira Lee

**Adira Lee:**

"Nesia!" Adira screamed, struggling against her father as he attempted to restrain her.

Her boyfriend was fighting with a Hydra, its monstrous body ginormous and terrifying. It had seventeen heads awful heads. She'd had trouble counting all the flailing, snapping heads, but she'd finally reached the conclusion that's how many there were. There was been sixteen when it first came, but Nesia had cut off one before she had a chance to warn him that it would just grow two more in its place. She should have been faster.

He was now struggling to battle with the deadly monster, and she was extremely anxious for him. Also incredibly frustrated that they wouldn't let her help. She wasn't a pathetic little girl who needed protected. She was almost an adult and she could fight for herself.

She watched, her whole body tense as she witnessed the attack, her love in danger. He dodged and avoided the many angry heads, occasionally getting an attack in. He was clearly tiring though, and she watched in horror as one of the many heads bit into his shoulder- his already injured one. It had never quite fully healed from the attack of the hell hounds a while back. She physically winced from imagining the agony it must have caused him.

He gritted his teeth in obvious pain, slashing at its eyes with his other hand so it would release, but it held firm. Blood gushed from the wound and Adira could barely bear to look anymore as he continued. She knew he was fighting a losing battle. Not only was he fatigued, it had seventeen heads and they had no fire. Without it there was almost no way to defeat it.

Her tantrums started anew, flailing and trying to run to Nesia, but her father held firm. "I hate you!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, stomping on his foot. And she did, in fact, hate him at that moment.

He murmured some words to her that she assumed were supposed to be reassuring, but they fell on deaf ears. She wasn't listening. She continued yelling, her voice growing hoarse, but she wouldn't relent.

Nesia wasn't doing too great, still trapped in the monsters jaws. His movements were more sluggish, probably due to the blood loss. _And the poison_ , she thought, realizing that a hydra bite was extremely poisoness. Her heart started pounded even more violently. He wasn't going to make it at this rate.

She couldn't let this happen! Letting out a battle cry, she kicked her father hard in the knee, causing him to release from the pain. She quickly ran over to them, drawing her sword and preparing to fight. However, just as she tried to stab at it, the monster took off, Nesia's arm still clamped in its jaws. It trampled through the woods, making a ruckus as it went and dragging the son of Achlys along.

With tears streaming down her face, she sprinted after the monster and Nesia. She darted through bushes, ducked under tree branches, fire burning in her veins and fueling her on. They couldn't escape! "Coward!" She screamed. "Scared of me, are you?!"

Somehow they were always a ways ahead of her, and she didn't have a lot of stamina. She kept running until her very limit, until her legs felt they would fall off and knives were stabbing her lungs, and past that. And then as the hydra was beginning to escape her view and the thick greenery blocked her view the very ground opened up beneath her.

She crashed down, into the giant hole strewn with various organic matter. It had been a trap all along. She laid limply on the ground like that for several minutes, feeling helpless. She had failed. She had failed and now Nesia had to pay for it. She should have helped him.

Eventually she dragged herself slowly to her feet, steadying herself on the edge of the hole. She had to keep going. Nesia had to deal with much worse than a couple scrapes and a tired body. She had to keep going for Nesia.

She had to find him.

Adira first tried scrambling up to the ground, but there were no grips and she just slid back down into the hole. That wasn't going to work.

She stumbled around until she found a tunnel. How convenient. Knowing very well it was probably a part of the trap she made her way in. She had to at least give it a try. She couldn't just sit there while her beloved boyfriend was in danger. And, I mean, this was her forte, what she was skilled with, right?

* * *

She'd always thought her fear of getting lost was unreasonable. I mean, as a daughter of Ariadne, who would have thought? She always knew the way around, where every path would lead her, every single little detail. She could never get lost, right? Wrong. She was lost now. And terrified. I think the fact that she always knew her way around was why it was so scary. Such a strange, unknown concept, which she'd grappled with many times, always reassuring herself it wouldn't happen. It couldn't happen. Now not only was Nesia captured and probably dying, but she didn't know where she was!

She wasn't quite sure how it had happened, but as she had progressed into the dim, deserted tunnel she had lost her bearings. Her usual sixth sense disappeared, one she hadn't realized she relied on so heavily. Now she had no clue where she was, and she stumbled over uneven dirt patches in the ground often. Come to think of it, it was a wonder the whole thing hadn't collapsed on her and buried her alive.

With every step she took, it seemed to lead her deeper and deeper into the darkness and gloom. Into the unnerving unknown. Into her slowly growing despair.

Adira reached a fork in the underground tunnel, and her brain fogged up. How could she possibly choose a direction? She stood there for a long time, her expression blank.

Suddenly she had a realization, bright light spilling into the dusty tunnel and illuminating her way. Small dust particles danced in the air, the light now highlighting them. This was her way back to reality. Because it was a dream, it was just a horrible cruel dream. Filled with relief, she turned right, walking through the shimmering tunnel, as slowly, slowly the world around her faded into nothingness. Faded and faded until it finally dispersed into nothing and she was guided back to consciousness.

* * *

Her eyes flickered open, revealing the cabin around. Letting out an audible sigh of relief, she snuggled deeper under the blankets of her warm, cozy bed. It was finally over.

* * *

 **I know, short once again. But I tried, okay? XP They're all probably gonna be pretty short.**

 **Anyways, there's Adira's dream.**


End file.
